Davidson Theatre
The Davidson Theatre, the home of the Train Theater was built with a game-changing gift from the Davidson Family. On the ground floor, the theatre includes a ticket sales area, a cafeteria, a small performance hall, an office area, and an entrance lobby to the large 200-seat auditorium located on the lower ground level, an outdoor stage, café and an open space for children to spend time and enjoy activities.
The renovated structure of the Train Theatre in the Koret Liberty Bell Park is one of the most impressive that has been built in recent years in Jerusalem. It was awarded the 2022 Award of the Israel Architects Association for the 'Public Building' category. This Award is intended to show recognition of the Association of Architects and the community of architects in Israel, for their achievements in such areas as excellence in planning, strengthening the status of the profession and highlighting its contribution to building the country and shaping Israeli culture.
The special structure of the Train Theatre was designed by the Jerusalem architectural firm, Sitton Plus Tannous, in a joint initiative between the theatre, the Jerusalem Foundation and the Jerusalem Municipality. The theatre building in the Koret Liberty Bell Park was inaugurated in August 2021 as part of the 30th International Train Theatre Festival. The building is located in the centre of the cultural triangle in Jerusalem - between the Jerusalem Theatre, the Khan Theatre and the Cinematheque. This is located in the southern part of the Koret Liberty Bell Park, in the place where the theatre's historic train carriage was established in 1981 (and today restored as part of the new theatre building).
“The choice construction and architectural design stemmed from the desire to integrate it into the urban landscape, to become part of it," explains the Sitton Plus Tannous architectural firm. "The building was designed as five carriages that cling to the ground and define a new cultural space between them. The choice of a building divided into cubes was, among other things, due to the desire to provide a low storey building which would blend into the urban landscape. In addition, an outdoor amphitheatre was built that enables supplementary space for open-air performances, inspired by the beginnings of the classical theatre. Concrete and glass materials were incorporated in the construction work, which is mostly wrapped in traditional Jerusalem stone."
We thank the Davidson Family from England for their generous contribution to the construction of the Davidson Theatre and enabling the opening of a new decade with a creative and fruitful future for the Train Theatre and for children in Jerusalem and Israel.
We thank the Jerusalem Foundation for their support in bringing the blue carriage to Jerusalem and its continued support of the Train Theatre for many years. The Foundation invested years of fundraising, planning and great effort that led to the construction of the Davidson Theatre.
The Davidson Theatre was established thanks to the generous donation of the Davidson Family:
MAXINE DAVIDSON
GERALD & SIMONE DAVIDSON
JACK & REBECCA DAVIDSON
ISAAC DAVIDSON
TOBIAS KAY
DOUGLAS KAY
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